Will Allow Reduced Vertical Separation From FL290-FL350
Garmin, AeroMech of Everett, Washington, and Corporate Aircraft
of Fresno, California, are working together to obtain an STC for
reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) certification for
installation of the G600 in select aircraft, the companies
announced jointly Wednesday.
Gramin G600
The STC is expected to be completed early in 2011 and will
initially be available for new G600 installations on the Cessna 441
Conquest II with an ARC 1000 autopilot. Once completed, Conquest II
operators will be eligible to fly RVSM flight profiles at 29,000
feet through the aircraft's max altitude of 35,000 feet. This will
allow Conquest II pilots to gain fuel savings, reduce their
vertical separation from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet required for RVSM
altitudes, and increase airspace capacity.
"As the recognized worldwide leader in RVSM certifications, we
were excited for the opportunity to team with Garmin on the Cessna
441 and bring to market an RVSM solution that delivers tangible
flat panel benefits for the same price as a conventional
altimeter-only RVSM solution," said Dave Doucette, AeroMech vice
president.
"Cessna 441 owners and operators would rather operate in RVSM
airspace to realize the full design capability of their
aircraft. The benefits provided include greater range and
endurance, saving up to 26 percent in fuel burn at the most
efficient altitudes and having the ability to fly above most
weather systems resulting in far fewer turbulent encounters.
It's a great solution that we're proud to be a part of and a
winning combination for aircraft owners," said Pete Tsaris,
Corporate Aircraft's general manager.
Cessna 411 Conquest II
Garmin says the G600 is a certified avionics system designed
specifically for FAR Part 23 Class I, II or III aircraft and is
ideal for those wanting to transform their panel from gauges to
glass. It shows critical flight data on two six and a half inch
diagonal flat-panel displays. These screens are mounted side by
side in a single bezel that fits neatly into the "six pack" slot of
the instrument panel. The G600's PFD shows attitude, airspeed,
climb rate, altitude and course/heading information over a virtual
terrain image with SVT, and the MFD displays detailed moving-map
graphics of the aircraft's current position in relation to ground
features, chart data, navaids, flight plan routings and more.
"Many G600 operators are flying high-performance aircraft that
can operate between 29,000 and 41,000 feet and they need the
flexibility that comes with RVSM," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's vice
president of marketing. "The RVSM certification for the Conquest II
with G600 will open the gateway for these aircraft to fly behind
state-of-the-art flight displays and simultaneously operate their
aircraft at these more efficient altitudes"
Installations of RVSM-compliant G600 avionics must take place at
a Garmin authorized dealer. G600's that are certified with RVSM
will include the GDC 74B air data computer, altitude pre-select,
and other required hardware, and pricing will begin at
approximately $80,000.